The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Pedir is used to give orders or make requests, for example: Pide la cuenta, por favor. (Ask for the bill, please.)

This is an e to i stem-changing verb, meaning the e changes to i in certain conjugations. The stem vowel changes from e to i in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Pedir (to ask for) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Castilian Spanish):

Pedir generally means to ask for or request something, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To request or ask for something: This is the most common meaning. For example, Pide la cuenta, por favor. (Ask for the bill, please.)

To order food or drinks: For example, ¡Pide una cerveza para mí! (Order a beer for me!)

To beg or plead: For example, ¡Pídele perdón de rodillas! (Beg him for forgiveness on your knees!)

To demand or claim (somewhat rude): For example, ¡Pide lo que te deben! (Demand what they owe you!)

To ask someone out (colloquial): For example, ¡Pídele salir! (Ask her out!)

To solicit sexual favors (very rude): For example, ¡No le pidas eso a una dama! (Don’t solicit that from a lady!)

Examples

Examples of Pedir in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

Por favor, pide la cuenta cuando estés listo para pagar. (Please ask for the check when you’re ready to pay.)

Antes de salir, pidamos un taxi al hotel. (Before leaving, let’s request a taxi from the hotel.)

Mamá, pide que te ayuden con las maletas. (Mom, ask for help with the suitcases.)

En la reunión, pidan más detalles sobre el nuevo proyecto. (At the meeting, request more details about the new project.)

Oye, pide la dirección de la fiesta, no quiero perderme. (Hey, ask for the party address, I don’t want to get lost.)

Si no entiendes, pide que te lo expliquen de nuevo. (If you don’t understand, ask them to explain it again.)

Pidamos un Uber, el tráfico está horrible. (Let’s request an Uber, the traffic is horrible.)

Cuando llegues al restaurante, pide una mesa para dos. (When you arrive at the restaurant, ask for a table for two.)

En la farmacia, pide consejos sobre qué medicamentos tomar. (At the pharmacy, ask for advice on which medications to take.)

Antes de firmar el contrato, pidan una revisión legal. (Before signing the contract, request a legal review.)

Para el cumpleaños de papá, pidamos un pastel de chocolate. (For dad’s birthday, let’s order a chocolate cake.)

En el aeropuerto, pide asistencia si necesitas ayuda con el equipaje. (At the airport, ask for assistance if you need help with your luggage.)

Si te sientes mal, pide un día libre en el trabajo. (If you’re feeling unwell, ask for a day off from work.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Pedir (to ask for) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.